The Spiral Project
by Matahari
Summary: Tenten:Cages are not only those made of reinforced steel and bulletproof glass. Sometimes the cages we make ourselves are even more difficult to leave behind. Neji:In that case, perhaps the key to the lock is something worth escaping for. Ch8-Dreaming? up
1. The Spiral Project

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **Hopefully this will be complete for the AU Contest deadline at the NejixTenten FC on Naruto Forums on April 29th. If not, eh, it will get done eventually! ☺ That means my other fic, "Who You Must Protect" may take a little longer. My first AU fic, but there's a first time for everything. This is dedicated to Eshtar-chan aka EshtarWind (another NejiTen writer) who introduced me to the FC, my other loyal reviewers, and all other fans of NejiTen!

**Chapter 1: The Spiral Project**

_The Present… _

The office was dark, the only light coming from the computer monitor illuminating a sole figure whose head lay next to the keyboard. The women did not seem to mind the papers that littered the desk as she continued to sleep soundly at her station. Thin glasses were askew on her face becoming tangled with the wavy brown tendrils, which had escaped the tight bun she had placed them. A small pulsing noise could be heard next to her prone figure. A long arm with slender fingers groped through the mess to uncover a small black purse and the cell phone inside. "Tenten, speaking", she mumbled pushing herself up and rearranging her glasses.

"It's Hinata. Are you still at work?"

"Yes. I'm in the lab. I thought I had almost figured it out. I wanted to do a bit more research." As she was speaking, Tenten sorted through her papers, balled one up and threw it directly into the trashcan three feet away. "I've obviously been doing this way too long", she thought to herself.

"Tenten, you're barely living right now. It's just work, work, and more work. When's the last time you've slept in your own bed or cooked your own food – and I'm not talking about putting something into the microwave! You really need a break! Why don't we go out tonight, just us and the girls?"

Tenten gently closed her barely open mouth and sighed walking towards the edge of the room. "I know, Hinata, I know. I'll try to be better. I'm going to have to pass on the going out though. I think I need sleep more than anything else."

Hinata bit her lip on the other end of the line. "I know you're just going to stay at the lab, anyway. Just make sure you take care of yourself, Tenten. I worry about you. We all worry about you."

After the click signaling the end of the call, Tenten punched in her access code and let the biometric scanners analyze her iris and fingerprints allowing steel to retract and reveal a spanning window across one of her walls. Using the light from the moon that night, she could barely make out a figure laying below in suspended animation. Subject #A98ENH4. She gazed at the figure longingly and raised a hand to graze the glass. "Neji…" she murmured and closed her eyes.

_Three Years Earlier…_

A fresh young graduate with new ideas and an eagerness to please, she was thrilled when her professor informed her of a chance to interview with Hyuuga Laboratories. Her Ph.D. in biophysics and her Masters in cognitive biopsychology were apparently the "magic" combination they were looking for to fill a position they had. Also, for some reason they had seemed intrigued by her martial arts training (a black-belt in kendo specifically)… Perhaps it showed that she had discipline?

When she had graduated, people were always surprised when she mentioned to them that she had her Ph.D. She looked and was very young for such an accomplishment, but it had not come without a cost. She had barely had any social life to speak of besides school and work relationships. 

Her interview with Hyuuga Hiashi went well and she landed the job after she passed the security clearance. She was fascinated by his discussion on the possibility of human energy fields and the inherent potential if they could be harnessed for national defense. If only she had known how far he was willing to go to achieve this dream.

Hyuuga Hinata was interning at the lab while she finished her dissertation writing in biochemistry when Tenten arrived. It was always strange to see the heiress to this large empire degraded to being at everyone's beck and call for such menial tasks as getting coffee. Tenten rarely used this privilege and rather called over Hinata when she saw that the girl was becoming overworked just to give her time to relax and talk.

When they first met, almost every other word that the young girl spoke was stuttered and the nervousness that caused this always increased when she was talking to her father. It seemed that she could never be good enough in his eyes no matter how hard she tried. However, as Hinata and Tenten talked more and got to know each other, the stuttering stopped and another side to Hinata appeared – the nurturing, protective, and caring side which wasn't afraid to lecture her when she was spending too much time in the lab. Hinata became her first real friend.

Tenten spent the first year assisting with Hiashi's experiments in other areas while learning the ropes of her new organization. This was the trial period where the company and herself would determine whether she was suited for this position she was in or not. The next year, Hinata was given a full time position and two other girls joined the small research group and Tenten was given the charge. The first was Haruno Sakura, who had an M.D. specializing in psychopharmacology and had decided to go into research rather than working in a hospital. When she came, she also took her best friend, Yamanaka Ino, who had just graduated from medical school specializing in neuroscience.

The girls surprisingly all got along and respected each other's individual talents. They started to spend more time together, both in and outside of the laboratory such as going for coffee, lunch, and later at night to some nightclubs or other local hotspots. Sakura and Ino were expert club hoppers and the first time they brought Tenten and Hinata along, the difference in their experience was obvious. In fact, when they all met at Sakura's house to go to Club Phoenix together, the girls we both dressed in collared shirts, business skirts, and sensible flats. 

Sakura and Ino looked at each other, shook their heads, and grabbed a girl each. Clothes were tossed around the room, makeup was scattered over a dresser, and shoes littered Sakura's bedspread. According to Ino and Sakura, it was lucky that all of them seemed to have similar statures and shoe sizes. When it was all over, Tenten and Hinata emerged with trendy outfits, made-up faces, and stiletto heels (which they eventually learned to walk with without looking like marionettes). The girls were surprised to see that Tenten's hair, which was normally in a no-nonsense bun, created cascading waves down her back. Ino immediately deemed it, "come-and-take-me" hair because it reminded her of the women on the book jackets of romance novels and Tenten had blushed at the comment. The girls also tried to convince her to take off her glasses, but she insisted that they remain at risk of not going at all.

That night, she was asked out for the first time in her life – by five different men. But no matter how handsome Takeshi the fireman was, how intelligent Kenji the businessman was, or how caring and sensitive Hitoshi the social worker was, nothing ever seemed to turn out right. Perhaps it was because the men she dated tried to move a little too fast, expecting someone her age to have more experience. It's possible that they might have felt a little intimated by a strong woman who was both physically and intellectually capable. Or, it just could have been that she made it obvious where her priorities lay – with her work – and right now, no man could ever compete.

And work was going well. Hiashi had just asked her if she wanted to assist in managing something codenamed "The Spiral Project". Apparently, he'd had her in mind for this job even since he hired her. Hinata, Ino, and Sakura would serve as her research group and she was to start immediately on her preparations. She immersed herself in books and articles on human energy fields, chakra systems, energy meridians, energy healing, and extra sensory perception (ESP). She tried to relate it to her studies in biophysics. When you thought about it, Emc2. That meant that any matter was essentially energy. If someone was able to generate and manipulate the energy, the possibilities were endless. Just "thinking" something could make it happen.

After she gave the rest of the girls a briefing on what she had learned, she asked Hinata to try to figure out what parts of the biochemical pathways were most involved in these "processes" and once she was done, Hinata was to give the information to Ino to see what the associated parts of the brain and other neurological pathways. Using their combined knowledge, Sakura was to attempt to develop some targeted drugs in order to affect/enhance the energy field produced. Tenten would then analyze the resulting energy fields based on test subjects and come up with future steps.

The first experiment involved a several little white mice and Sakura's self-dubbed "energy tonic". The drugs were modified each time based on the energy field calculations and the health effects. Brainwaves were monitored as well as the chemical balance of their bodies every half hour once the drugs were injected. All of these results were correlated to the strength and spectrum value produced by the energy field. They attempted to analyze the long-term effects as well – trying to figure out how many doses were allowed within a certain time span, whether the effects to the energy field were permanent or temporary, and whether there were any unforeseen complications with lifespan or health.

The second phase involved chimpanzees, which would provide more similar results to human consumption being closer in chromosomal effects, brain capacity, lifespan, and stature. Initial calculations were done based on differences in weight to determine the dosage and again the same tests were performed with promising results. She was still anxious about beginning human testing and expressed this in her six-month report to Hiashi. Undisturbed by her concerns, he seemed immensely pleased with their progress and unlocked a cabinet producing a 3-ring binder for her to peruse. "The Spiral Project –1989-1994" was listed on the cover page. Apparently, they had done human testing before.

**Author's Note 2:** Let me know what you think. It's my first AU so I'd appreciate feedback. Next chapter should be up shortly!


	2. The Caged Bird

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **Hope you enjoy this chapter too:)

**Chapter 2: The Caged Bird  
**

_Still in the Past… _

Tenten began the first of many late-night sessions in the lab reading over and over the contents of the binder. The initial pages detailed experiments and drug specifications similar to what her group had already accomplished. There were records on one human subject. Now deceased. In addition, there were construction plans for a large containment room that would be able to buffer, nullify, and amplify any sort of energy fields. She made a note to share all of this information with the girls the next morning, but was immediately summoned to Hiashi's office when she swiped her card for entry into the building.

When she sat down in the plush chair in front of his desk, she noticed a familiar piece of paper staring back at her. Raising an eyebrow, she asked, "Dr. Hyuuga. Is there a reason why the non-disclosure agreement I signed when I started this job is in front of me right now?"

"I thought it bore reminding that this and any work that you will do in the future for us is strictly confidential."

"That really isn't necess –" she protested, but before she could finish, Hiashi had beckoned her to follow him. "Come."

They took the elevator to the top floor. Tenten noted that there was a specific lock needed for entry. As they walked from corridor to corridor, she passed several security guards. Finally, Hiashi stopped at a steel-reinforced door. He paused and motioned for Tenten to swipe her card. She was greeted by an electronic voice, "Please enter your voice passphrase".

Before a sound could escape her mouth, Hiashi handed her a paper with the following note: "Please say 'My name is Dr. Shi Tenten and this is my passphrase for access.'" She read the phrase aloud and was surprised when the door immediately opened. "This is your new office. Did I forget to mention that on the way here?" Hiashi asked, grinning.

Tenten laughed and said, "You know, if you weren't my boss you would be in for a severe knock to the head for surprising me like that. Even though it is wonderful and very unexpected!" Tenten smiled broadly taking in her surroundings. There was state-of-the-art computing and laboratory equipment at every turn. Colorful plants hung from the walls and several mahogany bookshelves were already filled with her books. A matching desk was also placed near the center of the room next to a fireplace. Also, a small kitchenette and personal half-bathroom were located in the huge expanse. Sure, there were no windows, but this was a definite improvement over her previous cramped space. "Not that I'm not thankful, but what's the occasion?"

Hiashi straightened his collar a little bit and took a deep breath. "I'd like you to work on The Spiral Project full-time. However, I must ask for you to not share any more information than necessary for your research group to function, especially my daughter."

A small frown marred Tenten's face, but she reluctantly nodded her agreement. Hiashi drew close to the desk revealing a panel that hid a keypad. He quickly entered the combination and whispered the code in her ear as soon as he was complete. The whole side of the wall opened up revealing curved window glass with a view of a skylight in the form of a huge overhead dome. In the center of the wall was a mirrored elevator. Hiashi let the scanners analyze his hand and eyes, before beckoning her again. "Biometric scanners. So far, they only recognize me and a few trusted security guards. You'll be added by the end of the day."

Stepping into the elevator revealed that one-way mirrors were installed protected by a layer of bulletproof glass. A balcony was located on this floor and surveillance cameras were attached to the railing. "I also have a private office available from here, but let us not be distracted." Hiashi finished as they reached the bottom floor.

The light cream walls were padded and the floors carpeted in beige. One of the corners had a concealing offshoot of padded wall and seen from above held a toilet, shower, and sink. There were no pictures, or plants, but three large plasma screens could be seen protected by glass. She would later find out that both of these were connected to a battery powered touchpad device allowing access to filtered Internet, television channels, and a library of electronic books. A large padded foam mattress with down pillows and sheets of black silk hid a sleeping figure with flowing dark brown hair. The sound of the elevator chime must have had a stirring effect because silver gray eyes opened quickly on a handsome chiseled face, which remarkably resembled Hiashi's.

"This is our subject #A98ENH4. You'll find that his body is already capable of energy manipulation, yet his abilities are dulled by an energy neutralizer, which this room provides. You might have run across the initial designs in the folder that I gave you earlier. Tenten, nodded speechless. "Are we allowed to do this to a person? I thought we might have just been paying college students or something…" she thought to herself.

"Why don't you go out and meet him. What I'd like for you to do is to become friends. Get to know him. Make him more amenable to what we're doing. A powerful weapon in the hands of a person with a bad mindset will do nothing for us. And… I'd hate to have every meeting with my nephew start out with the shot of a tranquilizer gun. I remember from your resume that you are a black belt in some sort of martial arts? I hope you've been practicing. If not, we've got guards above. Just say the word."  
With the push of a button, the elevator door opened and Tenten was sent out with a gentle nudge from Hiashi. Confused and feeling a little bit morally deficient, she stumbled towards the center of the room not realizing until the last minute that she had bumped into something that definitely did not feel like a padded wall.

A loudspeaker with Hiashi's voice rang throughout the room. "Neji, meet Tenten. Tenten, meet Neji. I really do hope you'll become good friends."

**Author's Note 2:** Let me know what you think. It's my first AU so I'd appreciate feedback. Two chapters in a row:)


	3. You Won't Hurt Me

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **Now that this is going on, I highly doubt that I'll make it to the deadline but I'm going to try:) I'm definitely enjoying the directions I can go with this fic, although I am nowhere near done with "Who You Must Protect". I enjoy writing a mature and confident Tenten and I hope I managed to capture some of Neji's cockiness even though it's AU. I know that some of you were confused earlier with the "sciency" (is that even a word?) information, but don't let it overwhelm you. All of the degrees that the girls have help them do what they're doing for the project. Energy healing is basically new age/alternative medicine. I hope you enjoy this chapter!

**Upload Date: **4/23/07 (updated 5/9/07 because of something my little kitten added to an end of a sentence when he stepped on the keyboard)

**Chapter 3: You Won't Hurt Me  
**

_Still in the Past… _

Pools of liquid caramel met silvery ice depths and Neji felt something pull deeply at his gut at the contact. A girl stood before him with a dazed look on her face, wisps of brown brushing her face, and glasses askew. The last female he had seen personally was his cousin, Hinata, crying over his dead father's body and she could still be considered a child at the time. What was this emotion he was feeling? His eyes suddenly hardened and he collected his thoughts. What reason was she sent for? Why now? 

He had been under "lock and key" for the last 13 years in this unlikely prison. He figured that the design of the room was greatly influenced by the anticipation that he would try to kill himself. The sink and shower did not hold water and his food was always pre-cut (if necessary) and served on Styrofoam plates. The only utensils he was provided were some rubber chopsticks. Even his bed was made completely of foam and lacked any internal springs. The walls were covered in padding – he could not ram his fists or his head into any hard surface.

The glass hiding the displays for information access were above his reach and any search trying to find something that would either help him 1) escape, 2) learn to fight, or 3) otherwise cause destruction were filtered out. The little he managed to glean was from classic novels in eBook form, which discussed minor swordplay; however, the content was rather vague and not to be relied upon. He had managed to teach himself T'ai Chi Ch'uan (more commonly known as Tai Chi) under the watchful eye of the guards, surveillance cameras, and lastly his uncle. They had probably assumed that it was simply a meditative and relaxing exercise. What they hadn't realized that it was first and foremost a martial art and that the meditation had actually helped him in focusing his "powers".

When he had first realized that he could feel and see something other than what "normal" people did, he was confused. He was afraid to go to his father and be dismissed as a freak or a monster. Rather, he simply quietly went about his business all the while privately exploring his newfound talents. He was soon able to distinguish between the life forces of inanimate objects, plants, animals, and people. He realized that he could figure out when a person or animal was in pain – the amount of pain they felt and the source of it by the strength and type of tingling in his fingertips. Sometimes when he was upset, electronic devices flickered or malfunctioned. However, he supposed the most "impressive" thing he had ever done happened on the night of his father's death – if it really was attributable to him – a blackout throughout the entire Hyuuga compound.

After that, his "guardian", Hiashi, had relocated him here, a poor mirror of normal existence. Was he trying to tease him now with the prospect of companionship? "You seem attractive enough for me." Neji said coolly, surveying Tenten's body with interest. "Are you a whore?" he questioned.

Tenten was taken aback and blushed with the comment, while taking a few steps backward and subconsciously adjusting her skirt. Maybe she should have chosen the pants suit today. She didn't know whether to feel embarrassed, insulted, or both. "Excuse me?"

"I asked whether you were a whore. But now that I think about it, they should have at least found someone who had better comprehension abilities. Just because I've been alone all this time, doesn't mean that I have low standards." Neji said, as he turned his back to her almost as if he was sending back an unappetizing entrée at a restaurant.

Ego bruised, Tenten's eyes narrowed into slits and she grabbed him roughly to turn him around and face her. "Since you haven't been a part of civilization for a decade, I'd like to give you the benefit of doubt, but there's no reason for you to be a rude and obnoxious jerk."

Neji looked on with a mix of amusement and annoyance at the woman in front of him and raised his left eyebrow before saying, "I know this may seem immature, but I'd like to see you make me without any help from your friends up there." His head jerked towards the two armed guards on the balcony and placed a hand on her shoulder and the other, on the wall pushing her back against the padding.

His face was mere centimeters from hers and he was surprised that she neither struggled nor screamed in terror. Instead she boldly stared into his eyes and whispered in a calm, even tone, "You don't scare me." She delicately moved his hand away from her shoulder and stepped out from between him and the wall. When she did raise her voice, it was only to say to the guards, "Let me deal with him myself. Don't get involved. In fact, why don't you just leave?"

The guards protests of, "But, miss…" and "Hyuuga-sama insisted…" were met with stubborn resistance and a casual threat of getting them fired if they disobeyed her command.

This was probably the most unexpected thing to happen to Neji. Was this woman stupid? Did he honestly look like that much of a weakling? Looking down at his arms and chest, he reaffirmed that there was nothing the matter with _him_. Something definitely was wrong with _her._ "Are you sure you really wanted to do that? Didn't you hear what happened the last time someone came in here?"

Tenten did not habitually entertain fights although she was well trained in martial arts. There was something about Neji that made her want to prove herself and she wanted to get back at him for his earlier callous comment. 

"I don't care what happened to the last person who came here," she said moving over towards his bed and sitting down casually amongst the silk. "You won't hurt me."

The utter belief in what she was saying was evident in her voice. Neji found that very disturbing. With something that could be described a nothing short of a growl, he was on top of her, using his arms to hold hers above her head, and his knees positioned in a way to control the movement of her legs. Yet, she was as serene as ever although her hair was now tumbling out of that bun and her glasses fell to the ground revealing eyes, which just seemed to reach out to his soul.

Again, she whispered, "You won't hurt me."

Exasperated, Neji asked her softly, "Why? Why don't you believe me? Look at the position you're in. I could do everything I want with you… to you…"

Tenten breathed deeply, and wondered herself why she was being so calm and collected. But when she looked into his eyes, she felt something. "You won't hurt me… because… you are not a monster."

Neji almost choked when she said that. This girl… this woman… without knowing a thing about him personally was surprisingly the one who managed to say exactly what he had always hoped someone would say to him. He wasn't a monster. He was normal. And as he gazed into her eyes and let himself get adjusted to her warmth, the newfound feelings overwhelmed him and he suddenly bent down and softly touched her lips with his.

**Note to Readers:** Thanks for all the readers and especially the reviews from ff . net and the NejixTenten FC. Thank you especially to openwindow4, newt-ish, tarzi-kins (who is also a frequent reviewer of my other fic), my dear EshtarWind, NotJustAnotherHuman, Intuition, lily was a maruader, Princess of Stroms, Chariel, whitebird (yay!), Tsukiko Yuki (thanks for the double review), Whipped Coffee (also a double) and last but not least Raven2120 (my first reviewer for this fic) :) Sorry if I missed anyone!


	4. A Leave of Absence

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **This has been a long time coming, but I honestly tried to write a little every day. Those of you who are anticipating another chapter in Who You Must Protect, thanks for bearing with me. I really hope to update a chapter of that one next! I'm trying to display Hiashi's character as someone who you're not quite sure about yet - really close to how he is perceived in the anime and manga. This chapter also includes some NaruHina hintings, which may develop into a minor relationship. But remember, it's the fabulous Neji and Tenten pairing that this is being written for!

**Upload Date: **5/26/07

**Chapter 4: A Leave of Absence  
**

_Still in the Past… _

And for a brief moment, Neji felt a burst of energy course through him, and just as instantly, it vanished. When he became aware of his surroundings, he realized that he lay on his back as she fled his vicinity entering the elevator. Her eyes locked with his as the doors closed, a look of shock, confusion, and something… more lingering in their depths. 

Tenten leaned on the wall of the moving booth for support, willing herself to control the shaking of her limbs and the trembling of her lips. Her fingertips grazed her mouth gently. She still felt the tingling from when they had kissed. When she reached the top of the elevator and reached her office, she began rolling a pencil up and down a stretch of table in order to collect her thoughts. As the pencil neared the leftmost corner of the table, she noticed a small piece of paper. She glanced at it briefly before crumpling it in her hand and immediately left her office.

"This is the most I've seen you in one day since I was first hired." Tenten joked uneasily as she entered Hiashi's office.

"Would you like a drink? Water? Tea?"

"No, I'm fine." Tenten shook her head.

"Tenten – I heard from the guards that you requested they leave. Did you find their presence troubling?" Hiashi asked giving her a warm and somewhat relieved look.

"Dr. Hyuuga, please do not blame them if they disobeyed your orders. It is just that I have no need or desire to be under guard. Although, I do understand and appreciate your concern."

"I can see that." Hiashi continued with a grin. "This is the first time in a long while that there hasn't been a need to call in reinforcements when Neji had a visitor. So, how did you do it?"

"There was no need for force…" she said quietly thinking again about her recent encounter.

"Well, as much as I am intrigued about your time with my nephew, I'm sure you also are very curious about what's going on, being the brilliant researcher that I know you to be."

"Thank you for the compliment, Dr. Hyuuga. To be honest, there are a lot of questions that I have right now, just spinning around in my head. I want to ask them to you shortly, but for right now I would like to request some time off – to think things over."

Hiashi, frowned slightly, his brow furrowed. "I understand if this is overwhelming for you Tenten. I have to admit, this situation is not a walk in the park for me either. My brother and I built this place up from the ground and I never imagined that this would happen – that I would be holding his only son in some sort of captivity. It may come as a surprise, but Neji's father was the first human subject and my partner in the "Spiral Project" – in fact he inspired its creation. However, when he died several years ago, we realized that he wasn't the only one to have acquired the abilities we were looking to control and tap. My nephew inadvertently blew out the circuits of the power grid that our manor uses and even affected the backup generators. The amount of energy he released was enormous and the degree of damage that he could have inflicted if uncontained was unimaginable. It was necessary to contain him as soon as possible. Being a teenager at the time, his emotions and actions were unpredictable, especially considering he would not or could not believe that his father was not murdered. All we could do was wait. When you applied for a job, it was a godsend. I just knew that you would be the person to be able to reach him."

Tenten was focused on every word that escaped Hiashi's mouth and lowered her eyelids when he finished picturing a young Neji distraught from grief. "Thank you for your vote of confidence. However, your assessment is correct – this is a lot for me to process, even more so after what you just told me. Will you grant my request for a leave of absence?"

Placing his hands together to form a steeple, Hiashi leaned backward in his leather chair. "If I must."

"Thank you. May I take my leave?"

Hiashi rose from his seat and guided her towards the door. Before she was about to turn her back, he grabbed her hand with his in a friendly shake. "I look forward to your return, Tenten."

Her only response was a small upward turn of her lips.

She went to her new office, which by that time contained all of her things from her previous workspace. Everything was put in an intuitive location, so when she needed to gather some files and her laptop – just in case there was an emergency when she was away – they were easy to find.

When she got home to her apartment, she instantly collapsed into her bed and sighed. Even though it was the last thing she wanted to do, she needed to get ready for her girl's night out in a couple of hours. It was Hinata's birthday and she had promised the young girl a night to remember.

The club was packed with young men and women – some dancing, others lining the sides in intimate conversations and still others imbibing alcoholic beverages of varying strengths in order to build up the courage to do one or the other. The girls were doing the former. When the song ended, the other girls laughed in exhilaration while Tenten just gave a wry smile. Hinata gave her a concerned glance. "Tenten-chan, is there something wrong? You seem a bit… distracted."

"Huh? Oh… I'm so sorry, Hinata-chan. You shouldn't be worrying about me. You should be enjoying your special day!"

"Tenten-chan! " Hinata berated her, "What makes the day special is that I'm spending the night with all of my dearest friends. The only thing that's going to make it less special is if they aren't happy."

"Yeah, Tenten-chan" agreed Sakura. "You've turned down all the guys who wanted to dance with you. Usually, you'll at least give a few of them a chance. What gives?"

Tenten searched her thoughts. What was the reason why she was acting so differently, today? It couldn't possibly have to do with what happened earlier, right? Hyuuga Neji couldn't have had that much of an effect on her. She'd only really spent at most a few hours with him. And yet, all she could see when she closed her eyes was the way his had looked into hers and all she could feel was his lips – warm, soft, and desperate for a connection. And that spark she had felt… was it just her imagination?

When she finished her reverie, she found Ino waving one of her hands back and forth across her face. "Yep. Definitely distracted." She put a finger to her chin as if in thought, and smiled mischievously. "Now doctor, you wouldn't be hiding anything from us would you? Let's say, a crush, love interest, object of affection?"

"No!" Tenten denied a little too loudly. A few bystanders sent some glances her way as she continued in a quieter tone, "Of course not. It's just that… Hinata should find a guy before I do tonight. I mean, it's her birthday!"

"So, does that mean if Hinata finds a guy tonight to go out with, you'll let us set you up with someone or at least tell us know something about the person who seems to be garnering so much of your attention?" Ino wheedled.

"Sure." Tenten said confidently. In all the times they had been to the club, Hinata had NEVER hooked up with anyone. She preferred to find her men in libraries, bookstores, supermarkets, and coffee shops based on past experience. No sooner had she agreed to Ino's deal, however, she saw Sakura's eyes gleam in recognition and start beckoning someone to come over.

"Hey Sakura-chan!" a tall blonde with striking blue eyes exclaimed. "Who are all your friends?" he asked, eyes wandering over all the girls.

"Naruto! It's been so long since I've last seen you." Sakura cried accepting a hug. "Everyone, this is Naruto. He was my lab partner for most of my undergraduate chemistry and bio classes. He always made class interesting. These are my girls, Ino-chan, Tenten-chan, and Hinata-chan." Sakura pointed to each girl in turn and saw the young Hyuuga girl blush. "It's Hinata-chan's birthday today and we're celebrating."

"Hinata-chan? Is that you?" Naruto asked sidling up to Hinata as she simultaneously tried to disappear into a corner. "H-hai... Naruto-kun." She blushed a deep red as he affectionately ruffled the top of her head.  
"Do you two already know each other?" Sakura asked in surprise.

"Of course! Me and Hinata-chan go way back, don't we Hinata-chan?" Naruto put his arm over Hinata's shoulder in a familiar gesture.

Hinata gave a small nod and bent down her head trying to hide her intense blush.

"We first met when I hurt myself working out. Hinata-chan was a volunteer at the health center and nursed me back to health. The next time was at the library, because I had to cram to make up for the time when I was absent so that I could pass all of my classes that semester. Hinata-chan offered to help me study and we've been friends ever since!"

"What a small world." Ino commented with an impish grin on her face.

"Naruto, Naruto, Naruto…" Tenten remembered that name from somewhere, but she just couldn't place it. Suddenly, it came back to her.

_Flashback…_

_"Have you ever really liked someone, Tenten, but were afraid to tell them?" Hinata asked her new friend._

_"Why do you ask, Hinata?"_

_"Well, I'm going to be graduating soon and there's this guy – his name is Naruto – I've been crushing on him for a long time. I've never told him anything about my feelings and I'm afraid that we'll never see each other again."_

_"I don't think I'm the best person to give you advice on this, but if you think he's worth it give it a shot. You shouldn't have any regrets. Even if it doesn't work out this time, you still might have another chance. If it's meant to be it's meant to be."_

_End Flashback…_

The last update she'd had from Hinata was that when she had asked the guy out, he had misinterpreted it as a friendly date instead of a romantic one. Having already used up her limited supply of courage, Hinata had resolved to simply hope for the best and repeated Tenten's last piece of advice as a mantra "If it's meant to be it's meant to be." 

So, he was _that_ Naruto. Tenten held her face in her hands. This did not bode well.

** Note to Readers:** Yes, yes... I know that Naruto should have said "Hinata-chan and I", but I just thought that speaking in grammatically correct terms didn't fit for the way I wanted to portray the situation or his character. Anyway, I have a whole thing planned for this night and in my head it was supposed to come out in this chapter, but it didn't. Should make an interesting chapter 5 though! Thanks for all the readers and especially the reviews from ff . net and the NejixTenten FC. Thank you especially to Dreaming101 (3x), Ariel32 (Chariel), tenten kunoichi, Blossoms of Spring, kyakya991, NotJustAnotherHuman, NessieGG (winner of the AU contest for her Where Death Is King -bows to greatness- Read it if you haven't already!), Whipped Coffee, iheartyu.xD(3x), AngeChen, EshtarWind (check out her Beast of Souls), biacebaolck, openwindow4, Raven2120, tarzi-kins, newt-ish, Chigiri Sasaki, ChocolateBrownLocks, and piixiiestiix. Sorry if I missed anyone!


	5. Star Gazing

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **It's finally here! I've made a deal with myself to alternate between updating this story and Who You Must Protect. So far, so good! That thing I said was probably going to happen this chapter - definitely the next! I needed them to be in bed! The story sort of writes itself - I just type and the words come out. ;) Chapter dedicated to Chigiri Sasaki who is right now in love with Nejiten and AU fics.

**Upload Date: **7/09/07

**Recap from Chapter 4**

The last update she'd had from Hinata was that when she had asked the guy out, he had misinterpreted it as a friendly date instead of a romantic one. Having already used up her limited supply of courage, Hinata had resolved to simply hope for the best and repeated Tenten's last piece of advice as a mantra "If it's meant to be it's meant to be."

So, he was _that_ Naruto. Tenten held her face in her hands. This did not bode well.

**Chapter 5: Star Gazing  
**

_Still in the Past…_

In the span of the time it took for Tenten to come to this realization, Ino and Sakura had convinced Naruto to have a dance with the "birthday girl". "Nobody has asked anybody out yet," Tenten reminded them as they looked at her with mischievous grins on their faces.

Ino responded confidently. "Just wait."

When the dance finished, Ino had placed a package with glittering paper, a white rosebud, and a finely tied bow on the bar counter. "Time for presents!"

Tenten shot her a suspicious look, but also placed a small gift bag on the counter followed by Sakura's present. The bartender poured ½ oz of butterscotch Schnapps, floated some Bailey's Irish cream, and then Yukon Jack. He lit the Yukon Jack on fire and sprinkled ground cinnamon onto the flame. Sparks erupted and Hinata, glowing from the after-effects of the dance with Naruto, was all too happy to blow out the "French Toast" shot that her friends had ordered for her. "Mmm… tastes almost like a cinnamon bun! My favorite!"

"Mine first!" interjected Ino pushing her gift towards Hinata. She placed the rosebud in Hinata's hair and waited attentively for her response. Once she tore off the paper, she started to grab inside the box, pulled something part of the way out, glanced at it, and quickly shoved it back inside, her cheeks covered in a dark blush. "Um… thanks for the gift, Ino-chan. I'm sure I'll… um… have use for it… some time."

Tenten had also managed to get a glance at the item and noticed it was some sort of baby blue lacy undergarment. Before Ino could expand on its wide variety of potential uses, Tenten handed Hinata her own gift. "Happy Birthday, Hinata-chan."

Hinata, learning from the past experience, opened the small box inside the bag carefully before revealing its contents to everyone. A white gold necklace with three pearls of increasing size dangling from the center sparkled in the light. "It's beautiful!" Hinata breathed as Tenten attached the clasp to the back of her neck. Sakura's gift was "The Woman's Book of Confidence: Meditations for Strength and Inspiration", which Hinata said she couldn't wait to get home to read. As Hinata and the girls started cleaning up the wrapping paper and ribbons, Naruto stopped them. "Hey wait! Hinata-chan – I know I didn't have a present, but let me make it up to you. Do you like Japanese food? I know this really good ramen place next to my workplace and… "

"Yes!" Hinata uncharacteristically exclaimed with alcohol-induced confidence.

"Great! Here's my number. Give me a call and we'll set a date, time, and place. I've got to go now... I see my business associate getting ready to leave. Nice seeing you again Hinata-chan, Sakura-chan. Nice to meet you, Ino-san, Tenten-san."

A male voice was heard next to the exit. "Naruto-baka, where have you been? I've been looking all over for you."

As Naruto waved a goodbye to them, he started heading towards the voice answering, "Teme, I've been in the same spot for the last half-hour! You going blind or something?"

The girls laughed. "Same old Naruto." Sakura commented with a soft smile looking somewhat nostalgic. Ino stepped in to bring back their attention. "We're definitely going to have to help you prepare for your big date, Hinata-chan! But, while we're on the subject… Tenten don't you have something you want to talk about?"

And so, she talked. No blatant lies colored her speech, and yet it wasn't exactly the whole truth either. How did they meet? Through someone at work was her answer. What did he look like? Long shiny luxurious hair that would make most women jealous, he seemed pretty fit (based on the way he had held her down), and great eyes (no need to say that they seemed to be able to see into her soul). Had they gone out? Not really… and she doubted that they ever would since he was confined to his living space. Did they kiss – was it good? Well, it was definitely something she'd never felt before. How did she feel about him? There was an adrenaline rush when she met him, sure, but she didn't know whether that was the energy that she was expending in controlling her temper at his arrogant statements or whether she felt an authentic attraction to him. Would they see each other again? Signs pointed to yes – big dollar signs, which amounted to the salary Hiashi paid her for doing her job.

Satisfied that Tenten had shared some details about her mystery man, although not completely, Ino promised to follow up at a later date. Tenten excused herself to get some much needed rest. As she drove herself home, she gazed up at the stars wondering if Hyuuga Neji was at that moment looking at the same sky.

_In Hyuuga Laboratories..._

Neji's mind kept on flitting to the incident that had happened earlier in the day no matter how hard he tried to clear his mind with his meditation techniques the meeting with her played over and over. There were a million unanswered questions that her arrival had sparked. And her was? What was the name that his uncle had said? Taka? Tani? It was definitely two syllables, but those didn't seem right… Tenten. That was it. Interesting. A name meaning 'here or there' or 'heaven' twice. Was that even her real name? Or was it just an identity furnished by his uncle?

What made her come here in the first place? What sort of hold did his uncle have on this woman? Was it money? Blackmail? He wouldn't put it past Hiashi to resort to such underhanded schemes. And what really was her purpose? Was it simply a test to see how he'd react being presented with an attractive member of the opposite sex? Were they trying to find a weakness they could exploit? If so, they had probably found one. He'd felt some sort of visceral attachment to the girl almost immediately upon her setting foot into his "home". Was it the way that she fought against his cool words with fire and passion? The confidence that projected itself no matter what she was doing? Was it the fact that she chose not to judge him and rather tried to understand? Or was it simply a physical response? The right mix of pheremones? The correct bodily proportions? The scent of her hair? The softness of her skin? The feel of her lips?

As his thoughts leaned toward her more attractive characteristics, Neji found his body unconsciously reacting in a way that made him curse his inability to maintain control. Finally, frustrated with himself, he took a long cold shower before going to sleep. But as he lay among the bed sheets, the faint fragrance of jasmine flowers and vanilla lingered on his pillows and he couldn't help but think about her as he stared up at the star-filled sky overhead.

****** Note to Readers:** I was thinking about Tenten's body spray / perfume / scented moisturizer of choice and I decided upon something from the Bath and Body Works collection. They have this aromatherapy jasmine and vanilla scent for sensuality. Go in the store and sniff it if you REALLY want to get into the story. Thanks for all the readers and especially the reviews from ff . net and everyone who has put the story on alert or favorites. Thank you especially to B.Q. (2x) :D (thanks for the review!), Rindou-neesan, writingkage231, dreaming.sapphire, Moon (thank you for reviewing!), Raven2120, EshtarWind, BlooVeggieStix, animequeen100, biacebaolck, ChocolateBrownLocks, Dreaming101, piixiiestiix, Ariel32 (Chariel), and last but not least Chigiri Sasaki. Sorry if I missed anyone!


	6. Cages We Make Ourselves

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **Dedicated to all of my patient readers. Thanks for hanging in there. I hope this offering of another chapter satisfies the Nejiten fanfic cravings. I know I have them at least! Anyone who tried the "sniff test" to get into the story last time gets a virtual hot cocoa with lots of marshmallows and whipped cream... mmm... I can almost taste it.

**Upload Date: **9/24/07

**Recap from Chapter 5  
**

As his thoughts leaned toward her more attractive characteristics, Neji found his body unconsciously reacting in a way that made him curse his inability to maintain control. Finally, frustrated with himself, he took a long cold shower before going to sleep. But as he lay among the bed sheets, the faint fragrance of jasmine flowers and vanilla lingered on his pillows and he couldn't help but think about her as he stared up at the star-filled sky overhead.

**Chapter 6: Cages We Make Ourselves  
**

_Still in the Past..._

Everywhere Tenten turned she could only see consuming flames, burning wood, or endless darkness. It was the way her nightmares had always started, since the first time they had appeared to her as a child. Yet, the main attraction was yet to reveal itself as she struggled amongst the flames and coughed inhaling the soot and ash from the air. The heat increased becoming unbearable when finally, there was nothing.

Just blankness accompanied by the feeling of utter loneliness. However, she knew well that this was only the proverbial "calm before the storm". Then the voices began - low hisses, anger-laced insults, anguished cries, and desperate pleas. So strangled was the atmosphere that she could barely breathe.

And then strangely, for the first time it just stopped. It wasn't the nothingness that she had felt earlier, just a simple suspension of blame and grief. In fact, could swear that there was an almost comforting presence for once.

Neji walked alone in an area full of smoke. It was like a dream, but it felt like so much more. He couldn't see a thing, and there was a bitter chill although it seemed as if he were surrounded in flames. The fire instantly retreated and he noticed that the smoke was replaced by a tangible blackness. He heard sobs in the distance and moved through the expanse as if being surrounded by a thick black fog.

And then he saw her. Tenten. She was as beautiful as he remembered in her misery – her thick lashes glistening with tears that trailed down her pale cheeks, disappearing as they left her face. She halted suddenly, as if aware of his presence and the briefest amount of hope in her eyes was darkened by pain and doubt.

"What is he doing here? What happened to the voices?" she muttered to herself treating him like a figment of her imagination. She was lost in the unexpected silence.

Finally, Tenten turned herself to meet his face warily. "So, are you here to torture me too?"

He played with the answer to her question in his mind and considered the possibilities. To imagine her trapped as he was or even better in a cage fit for an animal. But as each scenario came to mind, it was quickly discarded. His happiness could not be achieved by ruining hers. She could never be Hiashi's replacement.

"No," he answered simply.

She seemed confused for a moment and then found herself searching his eyes before whispering to herself, "Then why am I dreaming about you?"

Neji's eyes flew open as the slightest bit of shock coursed through his veins at her question. Was he in her dream? He thought for some reason it had been his own. It had been so long. How had this happened? It should have been impossible…

When he was younger, he found himself able to change his dreams at will otherwise known as "lucid dreaming". But one day, when his father was on a trip and Neji was particularly worried, he had found himself in his father's dream. He discovered nothing exceptionally enlightening about the dream, except that his father had stared right at him before it had ended abruptly. The night Hizashi returned, he wished Neji goodnight before going to bed and then winking idly mentioned that he would like to remain undisturbed as he slept. Neji had gotten the hint and never found himself wandering in his dreams again… until now.

"I don't know," he whispered just as confused as she. The energy dampening system should have prevented this from ever happening. Maybe this was just a dream after all. Tenten tentatively brought the back of her hand to brush his cheek lingering for a few seconds before she quickly drew it away is if stung. Neji noticed a solitary tear wander down her face as she turned too slowly to hide.

"Why are you crying?"

"What concern is it of yours?"

Why _did_ he want to know why she was crying? "I… I don't like it."

"I don't like to cry either," she answered him with a wan half-smile, her breath quivering slightly as she spoke. "But sometimes… it can't be helped. I suppose you don't cry often?"

"Not in the last thirteen years."

"Ah. That make sense. I guess I'm just not as strong as you are, Neji. I can't help but to feel. This is the place…" she gestured around her dream world, "where I am pleasantly reminded of my regrets."

The small amount of sarcasm in her last statement did not escape his notice. How long had she been plagued by the darkness and flame from earlier? In a moment of self-centeredness, he wondered what pains she could have possibly experienced compared to his own.

Her softly spoken words interrupted his thoughts. "You know, we're really very similar. I lost my parents too when I was younger, but I blamed myself– I still do – for their deaths."

Neji's eyes opened in shock at this statement, but he didn't say a word as she continued. "My parents were scientists. Late at night, one of the experiments went wrong. It could have been a bad chemical combination or a gas leak… the police never really found out. They were too tired to notice… and then there was a fire… and they… they died!"

Tenten cried out disparagingly, "I should have made them go to bed! I should have been there to save them! Or if I couldn't do that… At least, I should have been there with them!"

"You should have died with them?" Neji asked reproachfully.

"Yes." As the word left her mouth, she collapsed on the ground. "Yes, I should have."

"That's ridiculous."

An eyebrow rose slightly at the insult as she stayed in her crouching position. The desperate look in her eyes was replaced by the challenging glance she had given him earlier that day. "Can you honestly say _you_ never wish to be dead?"

"There's a difference. I am nothing more than a caged bird. You are free."

"Cages are not only those made of reinforced steel and bullet-proof glass. Sometimes the cages we make ourselves are even more difficult to leave behind."

Tenten's reply made Neji pause in consideration. Meanwhile, he offered her his hand, which she accepted. When she lifted herself up, she found herself in his arms staring into his eyes.

After a few moments of silence, he gave his response. "In that case, perhaps the key to the lock is something worth escaping for."

"Perhaps." 

****** Note to Readers:** Thanks for all the readers and everyone who has put the story on alert or favorites. You're just great. All of you! I can't tell you enough how much I get a kick out of writing this story and reading the reviews. Thank you especially to dreaming.sapphire, Chigiri Saski, Blossoms of Spring, Ariel 32 (Chariel), Raven2120, Dreaming101, piixiiestiix, B.Q., DysphoricxKun0ichix, dianalovely1995, newt-ish, writingkage231, Shadeehue, Love Dream World, Nitouryuu, LunarRose73, tarzi-kins (2x), omurice, openwindow, angelgrl (I'm glad you liked it), and megan (Hope you catch the update! Thanks for the review!).

Your reviews make me smile. :)


	7. Potential

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **I am alive and so is this story! :) I've been away from the Naruto fandom a bit, since I finally read the three Twilight books that are already out and got obsessed with reading the fanfiction. But, do not fear, Neji and Tenten will always hold first place in my heart!

**Upload Date: **4/12/0

**Recap from Chapter 6  
**

"Cages are not only those made of reinforced steel and bullet-proof glass. Sometimes the cages we make ourselves are even more difficult to leave behind."

Tenten's reply made Neji pause in consideration. Meanwhile, he offered her his hand, which she accepted. When she lifted herself up, she found herself in his arms staring into his eyes.

After a few moments of silence, he gave his response. "In that case, perhaps the key to the lock is something worth escaping for."

"Perhaps."

******Chapter 7: Potential  
**

And then, there was nothing except a steadily growing ringing sound. Tenten blindly groped along the side of her bed, her head half-covered with a pillow. After fumbling for a little bit, she placed the phone to her ear and mumbled, "Hello?".

"Tenten-chan? Did I wake you?" Hinata asked in a way that evoked images of her delicate fingers nervously running over the telephone cord.

"Oh, hi Hinata-chan. Don't worry about it. It's…" Tenten straightened up her back against her pillows as the fog of sleep started to lift and glanced quickly at her alarm clock, "… about time I woke up anyway. What's going on?"

A few moments of "umm's", "well's", and "so you see's", Tenten figured her friend was stalling for time. What could possibly make Hinata this incoherent? She hadn't been this distressed ever since… wait. Visions of her recent dream were pushed aside as she rewinded mentally to the night before.

"Hinata, this isn't about your date with Naruto is it?"

_Silence. _

_Bingo._ She'd have to act quickly before Hinata self-destructed just from thinking about her potential date. "Stay there. I'll be over in less than an hour. Be ready to go out for breakfast." Tenten commanded before Hinata could speak, or in this case, not speak, another word.

Not taking time to enjoy the warm water rushing against her skin, she hurriedly massaged and rinsed her hair before drying herself and changing into one of the few comfortable non-business outfits she had. Her feet slipped into some casual sandals and she was good to go. Hinata and the other girls lived in the same apartment complex, just in separate buildings - probably due to its proximity to Hyuuga Laboratories. In about 5 minutes after she had left, she was ringing Hinata's doorbell. Another 20, and they were both in a small café sipping coffee.

"So did you give him a call?" Tenten asked her friend.

"Technically…" Hinata answered while twiddling her fingers together.

Tenten spied a loophole and hurried to close it. "Let me rephrase that – did you talk with him?" _Gotcha._

"No… It's just that I'm sure he was just being polite. I mean, it was my birthday. What if he didn't really mean it? Besides, what if he was just asking me out to find out more information about Sakura-chan? You know how close they were… I would absolutely die!" The panic in Hinata's voice rose with every word she spoke and Tenten looked at her as if she was an alien from another planet.

"Of course, he meant it! Unless my people-reading skills have completely been lost, I would definitely categorize Naruto as the direct type. If he had wanted to ask Sakura-chan out, he would have. But did he? No. He asked you." Hinata considered her friend's advice for several moments before replying, "I think maybe it's because I don't really have a grasp on the male perspective. That's what makes me so nervous – the uncertainty. I know!" she continued thoughtfully, "I can always ask Kiba-kun for advice!"

"Um… I don't think that's such a great idea." Tenten responded quickly. Kiba had lived in the same building as Hinata during college – right across the hall in fact. Tenten could see when he'd visited the lab one day that he'd liked his "friend" Hinata-chan a little bit more than one, but Hinata was oblivious in her single-minded affection. Seeing Hinata's confused look at her abrupt input, she continued, "I mean, you don't need any more advice than this. Be your wonderful sweet self and if he doesn't realize what a catch you are, he's not worth it."

And really, there were very few people who were, in Tenten's opinion, worth it. When she tried to think of anyone who fit, she could only see deep silvery eyes and remember the caressing of another's lips on hers. Shaking her head to clear the image she continued to persuade her friend, "Just give him a call, Hinata-chan. The worst he can say is no, right?"

The depressed look of longing that Hinata gave upon hearing that made it clear that the worst might be pretty bad indeed. So, she went on in a more humorous tone, "And the best thing he can say is that he's been waiting for you his entire life and wants you to be the mother of his children. Chances are it's going to be something in between them, right?" Tenten gave a quick grin and was satisfied when Hinata couldn't help but smile.

Back at the apartment and after a bit of coaxing, Hinata was happily talking on the phone to Naruto planning their ramen trip, while Tenten walked around taking in the surroundings. She found herself staring at a black and white photograph framed in silver with, if she could venture a guess, a much younger Hiashi and Hinata. She'd only realized just now that there were two other figures beside them. She'd remembered seeing the picture before and had always thought it was one of those photographic tricks because the adults had looked exactly alike. However, on closer inspection and with her recently acquired knowledge of the Hyuuga family, she realized that the other two figures must have been Neji and his father.

Her fingers reached impulsively to touch what she thought to be Neji's face through the glass. His eyes held a gentle gaze, not like the harsh critical stare she had last seen adorning his face. He seemed like such a loving and innocent child - full of potential. It was a shame that life had dealt him the hand it did. She didn't realize that she was being watched until she heard a low noise behind her. Hinata followed her gaze to the picture before her. "He was my cousin."

Tenten noticed the use of past tense. "Cousin?" She feigned ignorance.

"Neji nii-san – that was his name, was like an older brother to me. His father and mine were identical twins born only minutes apart. You can see the resemblance, right? They were very close even going into the same field as they grew up and ended up forming Hyuuga Laboratories together."

Tenten nodded remembering what Dr. Hyuuga had told her and encouraged Hinata to continue. "What about Neji-san?" she asked, feeling strange saying his name in front of another person for the first time.

"Well, I remember him being always so respectful and polite. He was extremely smart for his age – his teachers said that he had a genius IQ. His mother died when he was young, and I suppose this led to he and his father being so close. Why it was so devastating, I suppose, when uncle died." Hinata started to tear up and Tenten felt guilty for releasing these heartbreaking memories in her friend in a selfish attempt to gain more information about Neji.

"Hinata-chan, forget about it. You don't have to tell me if it's too painful." Tenten urged Hinata giving her a hug.

"No… no." Hinata refused, collecting herself. "It's actually good for me get this out of my system. I didn't realize how long I've kept this inside. When uncle died, Neji lashed out putting the blame on my father. He was like a wild animal – I'd never seen him act that way before in my entire life. I tried to comfort him in my own grief, but it was like he'd turned into ice or stone. He was inconsolable. There was a blackout that night. I don't remember if it was storming at the time, and he just disappeared. I think he ran away – from his memories. I keep on hoping that one day I'll see him on a magazine cover or on television. He was just the type of person you knew was destined for greatness. But sometimes my thoughts take a turn for the worse, and I can't help but think that he might have committed suicide in his depression, gotten kidnapped by a child molester, or killed by thugs in the street."

Tenten wanted desperately to be able to reassure her friend as to her cousin's well-being, but something stopped her. She wasn't sure whether it was more the threat of losing her job or the potential of being forbidden from seeing Neji ever again – she found it extremely troubling.

******Note to Readers:** This story has over 100 reviews, and 26 for just this chapter! If you could see me now, I've got this gigantic grin on my face. Thanks for all the readers and everyone who has put the story on alert or favorites. Thank you especially to dreaming.sapphire, Jupiter's Moon, newt-ish, tarzi-kins, Chigiri Sasaki, writingkage231, Luna Forest, B.Q., The Square, Aireonna, EshtarWind (I miss you too!), Shadeehue, dianalovely1995, LunarRose73, openwindow4, Takky-san, silent.peace, PurpleOnyx, Ariel32 (Yay for Nejiten!), jess (Thanks for the love!), Ishasuki Mitochi, Nightshadow Dweller, Dagirl14, inuyashaHELP, SnowCharms, and Sour Corn with Golden Marshmallows! You are the best reviewers a girl could ask for!


	8. Dreaming?

**Title: **The Spiral Project  
**Author:** Matahari  
**Rating:** T

**Summary: **Dr. Shi Tenten gets a job at Hyuuga Laboratories after receiving her Ph.D. in biophysics. Although not very socially experienced, she quickly gains a reputation in the organization as someone who can get things done and is selected to be in charge of the mysterious "Spiral Project". What she doesn't know is that this will involve getting close to a man who was even more secluded than she was and perhaps, love.

**Author's Note: **Enjoy a little look at Neji's paranoia. ;) Dedicated to all of you who are sticking with me on this Nejiten fanfiction ride.

**Upload Date: **8/25/08

**Recap from Chapter 7  
**

Tenten wanted desperately to be able to reassure her friend as to her cousin's well-being, but something stopped her. She wasn't sure whether it was more the threat of losing her job or the potential of being forbidden from seeing Neji ever again – she found it extremely troubling.

******Chapter 8: Dreaming?  
**

Neji's mind had been playing tricks on him. Fabricating a tale of a damsel in distress – a beautiful and vulnerable woman hidden behind an impenetrable façade in need of being saved. His body already longed for her touch – there was no need for his heart to cry out for hers as well.

And yet, despite the inexplicability that he could enter her (or anyone's) dreams in his little energy containment field, he couldn't shake the feeling that what he had seen had been real. But just a feeling wasn't good enough. There had to be some way to prove it one way or the other.

"Tenten" did not seem like a common name. If he could search the Internet, try to find out whether what she had said about her family had been true… well, he would cross that bridge when he came to it. So he typed in "Tenten" as the initial search hoping that he'd remembered correctly and that she had not been given an alias. The first hit he got was of a Dr. Shi Tenten and included a picture. The photo was small and she appeared slightly younger, but it was her. The actual page contained an article from a local paper, presumably one from her hometown:

"Dr. Shi Tenten has made a name for herself in the scientific community in the fields of biophysics and biopsychology. Graduating at the top of her class, she has been recruited to join Hyuuga Laboratories as a research scientist. She cites the influence of her chemist parents who had died in a tragic accident years ago and the great Dr. Tsunade as her main inspiration for going into research. But this young woman's passion is not only limited to science – she is also well known in martial arts circles as an expert in kendo and regularly participates in regional and national competitions. When asked about the romance department, the beautiful doctor slyly states that she sees no need for a relationship when her life is already so interesting. "

Beautiful, indeed. So she wasn't just any girl off the street. He should have guessed after their initial confrontation that she was something more. Now that he thought about it, the absence of fear in their earlier meeting could be attributed to her having a proficiency in martial arts. But a scientist? And one that worked for his uncle? He didn't know what would have been worse. At the same time, he couldn't help but feel some sense of satisfaction in knowing that at least at the time of the article, his "dream" girl was single. His uncle was definitely playing dirty.

And his dream… It had to be more than a coincidence that she had parents who were chemists that had died in an accident, right? Maybe it was just that… a coincidence. Or were they testing some sort of drug on him? His body had been reacting strangely lately – ever since he had met her. He sniffed the air thoughtfully. There were no unusual scents, but many gases could be odorless. Maybe they had been tampering with his food or drink? But even if they did it wouldn't have affected the content of his dreams, would it? Was there some sort of subliminal recording being played while he slept?

He couldn't trust himself anymore.

It was bad enough that he was imprisoned with little contact from the outside world, but now he felt that he wasn't even safe in his own mind. While he couldn't stop breathing, for the next several days, he managed to avoid eating a single bite of the food provided to him. While he did drink small amounts of water (during his shower), he had gone on a severe fast. The bed lay untouched as Neji opted to remain in an uncomfortable position in the corner of the room, only dozing off randomly when he couldn't keep himself awake.

He couldn't stop thinking of her. What was wrong with him?

It was after about a week of this self-induced starvation, that he drowsily opened his eyes to see the woman who had been haunting his thoughts. She crouched next to his huddled form looking at him critically, fingers grazing the undersides of his eyes and his now gaunt cheeks. "What have you done to yourself, Nejj-san?" he overheard her whisper to herself.

Was he dreaming again?

Her touch moved from his face, to his shoulder then his elbow and his hand. Lithe fingers intertwined with his own and pulled him temptingly towards the direction of the bed.

"Come. Rest with me."

He obeyed the sweet sounding invitation. Why should he try to avoid a dream within a dream? Slowly, he moved his weak limbs forward leaning on her for support. He lay on the bed and soon felt the sheets being pulled up over him and the feel of her slipping under them beside him. An arm encircled his waist in a half hug and the other moved above his head where the attached hand and fingers stroked his head in a calming manner. A warm sensation spread throughout his limbs and he turned towards her wrapping his arms around her and resting his head gently against her breast. He breathed in her scent with a sigh. She stiffened slightly, but only a second before the hand on his back started rubbing soothing circles.

He tried to open his eyes – to indulge in his mind's representation of her beauty, but his eyelids refused to lift. He contented himself with reveling in his other senses. The sensual combination of jasmine and vanilla the seemed to surround her, the softness of her skin, the silkiness of her hair, gentleness and warmth of her touch.

When she brought her lips to his earlobe, he shivered as he had never before. "Sleep, Neji," she whispered.

Every syllable that escaped her lips was a delight to his ears.

And, as he listened to her steady heartbeat and felt her chest rise and fall as she breathed, he let himself sleep more deeply than he had in a while.

Note to Readers: Thanks for everyone who reviewed, favorite-d or alert-ed. :) Thank you especially to Chigiri Sasaki, dreaming.sapphire, whitephoenix13, animefreakoO, Shadeehue, twighlight16, Lyris88, Sour Corn With Golden Marshmallows, The Sound Of Thunder, Aireonna, Dagirl14, EshtarWind (Eshtar-chan!), BlueHeavensAngel, writingkage231, SnowCharms, and last but not least xmarachanx!


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